North west area. Why do so many people have to have horses sedated

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ponydentist

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Was Just wondering how many people believe they have to have their horses sedated for routine dental treatments. Believe me.....This is just so TOTALLY unnecessary in 99.9% of cases. How much are you paying for this. This must cost a fortune??
 
I think it's common in a lot of areas. I'd guess if you're using an equine dentist, then the answer is the person isn't too well-trained or qualified - and lacks necessary horse-handling skills.

And if it's a vet, IME, vets DO tend to sedate at the first sign of a horse objecting to treatment because it's easier for them.

I confess I had to change EDT's a couple of years ago because the otherwise very good chap I was using was very short - and my horses are rather big. My stallion (17.1RID) behaved - but thought it rather funny to put his head up VERY high (and refuse to bring it down.) When I found a new EDT, my first question to him (I already knew he was a BEVA EDT) was: "How tall are you?"

He has done about 40 horses for me so far - and none have required sedation.

A separate but related point: some vet practices are STILL refusing to sedate for EDTs (as they do teeth themselves!) This is unacceptable PROVIDED it IS a BEVA qualified EDT; they certainly don't have to sedate horses for unqualified cowboys!
 
I'm in the south west and i have to have D sedated to have his teeth done. My vet does them and i think he's very good for a vet, he's always doing additional training in everything to make sure he gives the best possible service. D has to be sedated because as soon as the vet touches his back teeth (front teeth he's fine) he turns into a psycho, bucks, rears, throws himself around the stable and generally becomes uncontrolable, so for both our's and his safety thats why he's done. I'd rather not but i'd hate to think what damage/injuries would be caused if he wasnt sedated.
 
My EDT can look in my mares' mouth without her being sedated (which is more than I can manage) but can't get any further. She hates having her mouth handled.

I'd rather pay for sedation than risk injury to either party - last time she had three shots of sedative and still picked him (big bloke he is too) off his feet and chucked him into the stable wall!!! Try doing her without sedation!
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The equine dentist I use is well over 6 feet (!) and has excellent horsemanship skills but he has now said that my mare's behavior has become so bad that he won't do her again unless she is sedated. I can see his point 100% as a) he can't do a proper job if she is pratting about and b) its his livelyhood at stake if she injures him. He has done his best to win her trust and has tried every tactic to get her to co-operate (without resorting to violence) but she ain't having none of it. So I'm afraid there are some horses where sedation is the safest option.
 
Mainly because a recently qualified vet has just tried to rasp its teeth and ended up rasping its tongue. ermmm wonder why the horse reared ?

Newbie vet had to leave the stable and the vet he was shadowing with a broken arm had to "attempt" to take over. Never used that practice again - wonder why?

So the horse gets bad press, the vet gets a shock and is worried the next time he is asked to rasp teeth so suggests sedation The owner worries about the damage to the horse and getting hurt so she suggest sedation. Because the job wasn't done completley smoothely the horse has to have his teeth done again in 4 to 6 months.

The rumor mill is full tilt about the horse almost killing a vet because the vet nearly cut off its tongue.... and before you know it a "mexican wave of sedation" goes round the yard and EVERYONE just has to do it !!!!!!
 
HMMMM!

As is sadly so often the case. Chemical restraint as opposed to good horsemanship! Sadly most vet practitioners rely on sedation simply because they CAN.

One of the problems with the training recieved at many sources for dentistry is that the students learn on sedated horses (primarily for safety and ease of learning). When having to go out into the real world the need for good horsemanship is so apparent but so many practitioners do not train in horsemanship in addition.

In my experience (and not without the utmost regard to safety and welfare issues) any horse can be treated for "routine" dental problems by the use of good sound horsemanship principles and psycology without having to revert to sedation. Its just such a shame that the additional costs have to be incurred and that those horses which are sedated all the time, never have the oppertunity to learn that it doesnt always have to be that way.

Sedation is always a LAST resort for me and I am able to help so many horses who have previously been chemically restrained.....just a pity that its the first thing some revert to.
 
Shame you're North West and I'm in the South East. I'd be intrigued to see if you could do anything to improve my mare's behaviour. She's very good about most things, including tacking up (and taking the bit), but she just will not let you open/handle/look in her mouth.

How would you go about working with a horse like this? Do you have any tips?
 
I'm in the South West, but my mare is totally happy to have her teeth done, even with power tools. She is extremely relaxed and apparently a pleasure to do.

In fact none of my previous ponies needed sedating either. Wouldn't say they were as relaxed but, not dangerous in any way.
 
I haven't had my horses sedated while being seen by the dentist. The big guy thought it tickled a lot and wriggled around and I was quite nervous as I didnt know if he had ever been seen by the dentist so he sent me out of the stable!
 
My EDT is a fully qualified vet who stopped working for a vet practice to be a freelance vet and also specialise as an EDT. Bonus is that should she need to sedate she can do so herself. Fortunately Genie's not too bad!
 
My personal experience is that some horses are perfectly fine without sedation, others are weary and can be done with patient and careful handling and some are simply dangerous without sedation especially because of the potential of wacking someone with their heads while wearing the gag - absolutely lethal and I would not expect anyone (myself included) to have to take that risk to get the horse's teeth done so I sedate.
 
The equine dentist I use offers sedation but it's not compulsory!
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Having said that, if the horse is getting upset and could potentially injure someone then maybe they have a point?
 
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The equine dentist I use offers sedation but it's not compulsory!
smile.gif
Having said that, if the horse is getting upset and could potentially injure someone then maybe they have a point?

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wo there! This was Ponydentists post and i wasnt going to hijack but I cant help myself! Is this EDT a vet?
 
i had my 4 year old mare sedated today for the dentist to remove wolf teeth
one ot them was unerupted so had to dig a little so was glad really she was sedated as i dont think it would of been a nice experience for her
this is the first and hopefully the last time i will need sedation for the dentist
 
We're in the North West. I don't believe you HAVE to have a horse sedated for routine dental work and none of ours ever have been but if they were upset to the point of being a risk to people and/or themselves then I'd use sedation.

I do agree that vets have a tendency to sedate at the slightest hint that a horse might not be an absolute angel.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The equine dentist I use offers sedation but it's not compulsory!
smile.gif
Having said that, if the horse is getting upset and could potentially injure someone then maybe they have a point?

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wo there! This was Ponydentists post and i wasnt going to hijack but I cant help myself! Is this EDT a vet?

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was going to ask the same
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for the record neither of my horses are sedated. We were told the welsh did need sedating and needed doing every 6 months. He does need doing every 6 months but is fine without sedation. This is with 2 different EDTs, he backs up a bit and thinks about maybe getting a bit bargey but with correct handling just stands there.
 
[ QUOTE ]
i had my 4 year old mare sedated today for the dentist to remove wolf teeth
one ot them was unerupted so had to dig a little so was glad really she was sedated as i dont think it would of been a nice experience for her
this is the first and hopefully the last time i will need sedation for the dentist

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I also thought that dentists were not allowed to remove wolf teeth as counts as a surgical procedure?

Though my OLD one suggested he would. victoria/pony dentist can you confirm this ?
 
vet was present through the whole procudure and he said he leaves all dental work to my dentist as she more qualified in dentistry as they dont do alot now a days they work inconjunction with the dentist
 
unerrupted WT is a catagory 3 procedure so is a no no.

Technically errupted WT removal under the 1966 RCVS veterinary act can only be done by a vet, but there were no EDTs when this act was written so a change in legislation is currently going through allowing EDTs to perform such procedures (but this takes time). At this precise time the RCVS are happy for QUALIFIED and only qualified EDTs to do this and have expressed there will be NO legal ramifications for doing so.
 
my horse needs his teeth doing every 3 months as he has gaps that pack up with food and stop him eating.He has to be sedated as he is a 16.3 psyco with people he doesnt know or doesnt like ie vet who does his teeth(very expensive)
 
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why did you use the bloody vet in the first place?

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I use the 'bloody vet' cos the EDT I used terrified and manhandled my horse so much no one else can now get near him with a rasp. My vet takes the time and yes he does sedate but he wouldn't have to if it wasn't for the trained and yes apparently highly thought of EDT in my area!
And before you say anything yes I have tried a different fantastic EDT who spent 45 mins just trying to get a rasp near him and no he didn't succeed either.
Sadly I wasn't at the yard the day the 1st EDT was there cos I assure you the rasp would have been inserted somewhere and it wouldn't have been my horses mouth!
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My horse is not sedated for dental treatment. I think people like to try and prevent their horse from getting stressed, even if the horse would be fine without sedation the owner doesn't necessarily know this!
I'm all for showing horses something nicely and then getting on with it.
 
To completely throw things about, I used a vet first as EDT's were very new and shiny creatures in 1706 (OK 1986) and one of the ponies needed (apparently) two lots of sedation and even then wasn't totally subdued. Along came an EDT (who eventually turned out to be unqualified and didn't do any bad stuff - just not great stuff) and he did this pony with no trouble at all.

But yes, I was taken in by the gift of the gab
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I now have a properly qualified one who is even better with the horses and does a mighty fine job of sorting out the minor dental wrinkles they have
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But it's a minefield and so unregulated. What I do know is no EDT can legally sedate, unless they are also a fully qualified MRCVS.
 
[ QUOTE ]
HMMMM!

A As is sadly so often the case. Chemical restraint as opposed to good horsemanship! Sadly most vet practitioners rely on sedation simply because they CAN.

One of the problems with the training recieved at many sources for dentistry is that the students learn on sedated horses (primarily for safety and ease of learning). When having to go out into the real world the need for good horsemanship is so apparent but so many practitioners do not train in horsemanship in addition.

In my experience (and not without the utmost regard to safety and welfare issues) any horse can be treated for "routine" dental problems by the use of good sound horsemanship principles and psycology without having to revert to sedation. Its just such a shame that the additional costs have to be incurred and that those horses which are sedated all the time, never have the oppertunity to learn that it doesnt always have to be that way.

Sedation is always a LAST resort for me and I am able to help so many horses who have previously been chemically restrained.....just a pity that its the first thing some revert to.

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Well do you want to come down and do my horse then!! My vet doesnt rely on using sedative because he can. My vet is a well trained professional, who does his best to reassure my horse. He wont do anything unnecessary but when faced with half a ton of psychotic animal with a lump of metal in his mouth, bucking, rearing and kicking sevel bells out of the stable (and actually making very large holes in the walls) then i'm going to have my horse sedated whether it p!sses you off or not. Dont bang on about NH and that its the way to go with EVERY horse because its not. Every horse and situation is different and treatment/sedation (if necessary) should be altered accordingly to suit. At the end of the day I know my horse YOU DONT and if i deem it suitable that my horse is sedated for my, the vets and the horses safety so be it and i'd rather not have a mentally scarred horse simply because you dont approve of sedation.
 
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